Cable Technology Feature Article

Intel Previews 1Gbps DOCSIS 3.0 Gateway Solution

On Monday at the Cable Show in Boston, semiconductor giant, Intel (News - Alert) Corp. previewed its first DOCSIS 3.0 cable gateway solution that is capable of one gigabit per second (Gbps) Internet speed. According to Intel, DOCSIS 3.0 enabled Puma 6 technology solution will help service providers meet new consumer demands and offer new services while extending their extensive network investments. Intel said that a test program by South Korea’s SKbroadband is targeting production deployment of 1Gbps Gateways in 2013.

As the number of Internet-connected devices in the home grows, service providers are challenged to provide higher broadband speeds to more customers utilizing an existing cable network. A service provider’s ability to scale up to this high level of bandwidth will help enable new high-bandwidth experiences for what the industry calls “TV Everywhere,” an immersive blend of Internet, television, gaming and applications across multiple screens throughout the home, stated Intel.

According to the maker, with the advanced technology of the DOCSIS 3.0 specifications, multiple system operators (MSOs) can offer more users faster access to bandwidth-intensive experiences such as streaming video or online gaming using their existing network infrastructure and DOCSIS 3.0 equipment. Furthermore, Intel added, due to the flexibility of this technology, the Intel Puma 6 achieves the 1Gbps downstream speeds by bonding up to 24 DOCSIS channels (up from eight bonded channels in a typical deployment today). The upload speed for Intel Puma 6 has been doubled compared to the current-generation DOCSIS modems. The upstream speed is up to 240 Mps with eight bonded channels.

In a statement, Alan Crouch, general manager of Intel’s Service Provider Division, said, “We continue to lead in DOCSIS technology, and are now providing cable gateway solutions with 1Gbps capability. Service providers can now deliver on consumer demands for higher broadband speeds, supporting a proliferation of new devices, services and experiences.”

Intel said that the Intel Puma family system architecture provides OEMs with flexibility to easily customize their products to fit a wide range of MSO-required and optional features such as high data rates, wireless communications, power down modes and telephone support. Intel claims that it was the first to deploy DOCSIS 3.0 technology with Intel Puma 5, and over 20 million DOCSIS 3.0 systems have shipped.